Category: Site Things »

I would like to announce that, due to the recent changes that were mentioned last week, as of April 1 I will no longer be the editor and writer for the parents' and children's section of 148Apps. Being a mother of a seven year old boy who is interested in building and S.T.E.M. related apps, I will still be purchasing applications for our personal use. Having reviewed children’s educational apps for the last four and a half years has given me some experience in gauging whether an app will be a hit with my family, so please allow me to share these insights.

As you might have noticed, 148Apps is looking a little different today. Well that's because we've been kicking the idea of a redesign around for quite some time now, and it was finally time to follow through with it. You also might notice that the new look is a bit more in-line with AppSpy and Pocket Gamer. Which makes sense because we've all been a part of the same network for a while.

Another less immediately obvious but far bigger change is that 148Apps itself is restructuring. Starting in April, we'll begin changing a few things up editorially with new types of reviews, more guides, more opinions for us all to argue about, and all sorts of other exciting stuff. But don't worry, our mission will still be the same as it always was: to be the best darn iOS review site around.

Unfortunately this restructuring also means we'll have to bid farewell some of the amazing folks we've had writing for us over the years. Those who wish to will be saying their goodbyes throughout the week (you know who you are), and we'd greatly appreciate it if you took a moment to see what they have to say and give them a proper sendoff.

It's difficult to handle a whole lot of change all at once, and it's even more difficult when it involves losing those we've worked alongside for so long, but sometimes all we can do is press on. To the people who will be leaving: it was a privelidge working with you and you're far too talented to have to worry about what happens next for very long - if at all.

Looks like it's that time again. We've finished draining the nutritious goo from our victi-I mean we're looking for more writers!

So if you love you some iPods, iPads, and iPhones, and have access to up-to-date iOS hardware (and have a knack for this whole “writing” thing), give us a shout. We’re currently looking for reviewers and news writers to bring aboard.

Potential reviewers should be able to cut a swath through apps and games (that’s right, apps and games; you have to be up for both) without breaking a sweat, be able to critically analyze their subjects, and express themselves well and with authority. They should also be willing and able to edit their own posts and upload their own screen shots so that their work is ready for publishing as soon as they hand it in. But most of all we’re looking for someone who can manage to pull all of that off and keep things fun and interesting.

Potential newsies need to be able to turn out articles quickly and with regularity. They should have a knack for spotting the important bits in each story, getting the information out accurately, linking to sources, and be able to do it all without reading like an official press release. News writer hopefuls should also note that this position requires adherence to a set schedule, and during this time they’ll be collaborating with us directly on coverage of the day’s events. Otherwise how could we stay on top of everything?

If you think you’ve got what it takes for either of these positions, here’s our list of Musts:

- have an iPhone 5, iPad (2, mini, or later) or iPod touch (5th gen or later) and think it’s the best thing since sliced bread
- have a general knowledge of and interest in the iOS community
- can write at a higher than average level, like what you might see in a magazine or newspaper
- have some familiarity with WordPress or similar CMS platform
- reviewers: have the time to write and post at least three reviews a week
- newsies: churn out 4 to 5 news items per day and adhere to a weekly early morning schedule starting around 6am or 7am Pacific, Mon. through Fri.
- must be 18 years of age or older

What do you get? Writing for 148Apps gets you exposure. With millions of eyes reading your posts, that’s a lot of exposure to be had. You also get some money, per post, at a competitive rate. That’s not bad, right? We do ask that you only apply if you can keep up a regular posting frequency. While this isn’t a full time job, it’s not a once-in-a-while hobby, either. Our best writers are the ones that can keep the same quality output coming week after week.

If you think this is something you might be interested it, take a quick read of our review style and send us three of your best clips. These are the best portfolio works of review writing you’ve done. The closer to an app review your clips are, the better chance we’ll have of understanding your style. Don’t have any written samples? Write one up! Pick your favorite app or two and write up a 300 – 500 word review, with proper spelling and grammar, and email it to helpwanted {at} 148apps {dot} com. We look forward to hearing from you, and we’ll get back to you soon.

Hey there folks. 148Apps is currently in the market - the market for talented writers like you!

If you're crazy about iPads, cuckoo for iPhones, constantly on an iPod, or can't otherwise get enough of that iOS (and have a knack for this whole "writing" thing), then give us a shout. We're currently looking for two more folks to bring aboard: one for reviews, and the other for news items.

Potential reviewers should be able to cut a swath through apps and games (that's right, apps and games; you have to be up for both) without breaking a sweat, be able to critically analyze their subjects, and express themselves well and with authority. They should also be willing and able to edit their own posts and upload their own screen shots so that their work is ready for publishing as soon as they hand it in. But most of all we're looking for someone who can manage to pull all of that off and keep things fun and interesting.

Potential newsies need to be able to turn out articles quickly and with regularity. They should have a knack for spotting the important bits in each story, getting the information out accurately, linking to sources, and be able to do it all without reading like an official press release. News writer hopefuls should also note that this position requires adherence to a set schedule, and during this time they'll be collaborating with us directly on coverage of the day's events. Otherwise how could we stay on top of everything?

If you think you've got what it takes for either of these positions, here's our list of Musts:

- have an iPhone 5, iPad (2, mini, or later) or iPod touch (5th gen or later) and think it’s the best thing since sliced bread
- have a general knowledge of and interest in the iOS community
- can write at a higher than average level, like what you might see in a magazine or newspaper
- have some familiarity with WordPress or similar CMS platform
- reviewers: have the time to write and post at least three reviews a week
- newsies: adhere to a weekly early morning schedule starting around 6am or 7am Pacific, Mon. - Fri.
- must be 18 years of age or older

What do you get? Writing for 148Apps gets you exposure. With millions of eyes reading your posts, that’s a lot of exposure to be had. You also get some money, per post, at a competitive rate. That’s not bad, right? We do ask that you only apply if you can keep up a regular posting frequency. While this isn’t a full time job, it’s not a once-in-a-while hobby, either. Our best writers are the ones that can keep the same quality output coming week after week.

If you think this is something you might be interested it, take a quick read of our review style and send us three of your best clips. These are the best portfolio work of review writing you’ve done. The closer to an app review your clips are, the better chance we’ll have of understanding your style. Don’t have any written samples? Write one up! Pick your favorite app or two and write up a 300 – 500 word review, with proper spelling and grammar, and email it to helpwanted {at} 148apps {dot} com. We look forward to hearing from you, and we’ll get back to you soon.

Hello! We’re looking for new writers with a strong passion for iOS applications and games. Do you love downloading new apps to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch? Do you tell all your friends and relatives about the latest gem you've found in the App Store? You're the kind of person we're looking for.

The ideal app reviewer will devour apps and games, and will be able to write about them quickly and authoritatively. You should have a good critical eye and the ability to express yourself well. You should be able to edit your own posts and deliver them ready to publish. Most importantly? As a good app reviewer, you should be able to do all this while keeping the writing fun and interesting, using the common voice of the site.

All review writers should be able to jump back and forth amongst apps and games, but extra points if you have a passion for non-gaming apps and a nose for finding the best ones across the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.

Think you have the chops? Check out our requirements here:

You:
- have an iPhone 5, iPad (2, mini, or later) or iPod touch (5th gen or later) and think it’s the best thing since sliced bread
- have a general knowledge of and interest in the iOS community
- can write at a higher than average level, like what you might see in a magazine or newspaper
- have some familiarity with WordPress or similar CMS platform
- have the time to write and post at least three reviews a week
- must be 18 years of age or older

What do you get? Writing for 148Apps gets you exposure. With millions of eyes reading your posts, that's a lot of exposure to be had. You also get some money, per post, at a competitive rate. That's not bad, right? We do ask that you only apply if you can keep up a regular posting frequency. While this isn’t a full time job, it’s not a once-in-a-while hobby, either. Our best writers are the ones that can keep the same quality output coming week after week.

If you think this is something you might be interested it, take a quick read of our review style and send us three of your best clips. These are the best portfolio work of review writing you've done. The closer to an app review your clips are, the better chance we'll have of understanding your style. Don't have any written samples? Write one up! Pick your favorite app or two and write up a 300 - 500 word review, with proper spelling and grammar, and email it to helpwanted {at} 148apps {dot} com. We look forward to hearing from you, and we'll get back to you soon.

We promised you ginourmous news on Friday. Unfortunately (or fortunately for our sun starved faces), the first real day of summer in San Francisco got in the way of us releasing the news yesterday. Drum roll, please.....

For more than four years 148Apps has covered the world of iOS apps and games. It started as a passion of mine and has now expanded to include the best writers this side of Mars. Now along with the Steel Media portfolio of sites, we have mobile apps and games covered from every angle.

We've included the press release below for the full details. Please get in touch if you have any questions. My contact details are on my author page. We are so excited to get things going. Onward and upward!

Steel Media acquires 148Apps Network

Bath, UK – 2nd October 2012 – They say everything’s big in America, so it’s rather appropriate that Steel Media’s acquisition of 148Apps and associated sites should be its biggest deal yet.

Launched soon after the appearance of the iTunes App Store in July 2008, 148Apps set off with, and has since kept to, a remit of providing readers with leading iOS app insight. The site’s imposing number of reviews and news has continually targeted the very best content for iOS device owners and 148Apps has deservedly garnered a reputation as one of the finest and most respected examples of iOS-dedicated editorial coverage around.

Of course, the real value to any website is the people who create it, so Steel Media is delighted to confirm that 148Apps founder Jeff Scott will remain on board and assume the role of Editor-in-Chief of our US ventures. Alongside his proven team, Jeff will therefore continue to focus on providing world-class iOS editorial coverage while also benefiting from the evolution that the backing provided by one of the largest publishers within the mobile gaming media sector will inevitably facilitate.

But the ambition doesn’t end there. The acquisition, which in addition to 148Apps also includes b2b sister site 148Apps.biz, Google-focused Android Rundown, child-friendly Giggle Apps, the already popular Best App Ever Awards, and the App Hall of Fame, is intended as the latest stage of the publisher’s ongoing expansion strategy, following on from last month’s acquisition of Padvance.

Working alongside existing management and editorial teams, Jeff will also be responsible for driving forward Steel Media sites and activities in the US – from new launches to further acquisitions and possible brand extensions.

"It's a thrill to join Steel Media and become part of the team behind great sites like Pocket Gamer. Bringing 148Apps into the Steel Media portfolio of mobile focused sites allows us to create the broadest coverage of games and apps in the mobile space,” said Jeff Scott, 148Apps founder and Editor-in-chief. “When starting the 148Apps Network over four years ago, my goal was to create a site that helped app lovers find the best of the best on the App Store. Joining with Steel Media helps us expedite that goal of guiding readers through the swell of nearly two million apps.

"The team at Steel Media will help us build out the next generation of mobile app sites. As we brainstorm the next big idea in our coverage of mobile, we are already seeing the benefits of the new larger company.”

“I'm delighted and hugely excited to welcome Jeff and the 148Apps team into the SM family, expanding our already impressive portfolio of owned sites and Alliance network partners (which include leading independent mobile content sites such as Slide to Play, Gamezebo, TouchGen, to name but three) to provide a strong position within the mobile gaming media sector,” said Chris James, Steel Media MD.

“Adding this respected US-centred network to our strong UK and European sites, plus AppSpy in Australia and partner projects in Asia, we can now combine our passion and market knowledge with genuine international presence. What’s more, in Jeff we have a passionate and determined professional ideally placed to help guide and push the US side of our business forward.”

Steel Media is a leading mobile consumer technology publisher based in the UK. With a team boasting over 90 years of experience in consumer and contract publishing, the company currently publishes Europe’s biggest mobile and handheld gaming website PocketGamer.co.uk, which is licensed internationally, the leading mobile games industry portal PocketGamer.biz, consumer friendly iOS digital magazine swipe, the Pocket Gamer Guides range of interactive game companion apps, and leading iPhone video review portal AppSpy.

Steel Media also runs critical aggregator Quality Index and app-promotion service Free App Alliance, as well as the Smartphone Alliance advertising network covering over 50 leading independent sites and 35M+ monthly users. Other activities include the syndication of content to mobile operators and handset manufacturers, and the provision of a range of editorial, design and other contract publishing services to a number of leading blue chip brands including Nokia, Microsoft, Sony Mobile and ARM.

148Apps launched in July 2008 to cover the 500 apps available at the launch of the iTunes App Store. From there we have expanded our coverage and tirelessly tracked the growth of the app industry to nearly two million apps via editorial reviews and news, while never losing sight of the need to provide readers with world-class insight into the very best in iOS applications.

Alongside the growth of the App Store, the 148Apps network has also expanded to include b2b site 148Apps.biz, Google-focused Android Rundown, child-friendly Giggle Apps, the popular Best App Ever Awards, and the App Hall of Fame, amongst others.

For further information on the 148Apps network, contact Jeff Scott: jeff.scott [at] 148apps.com

Hello! We’re looking for new writers with a strong passion for iPhone applications and games. Do you love downloading new apps to your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch? Do you tell all your friends and relatives about the latest gem you've found in the App Store? You're the kind of person we're looking for.

The ideal app reviewer will devour apps and games, and will be able to write about them quickly and authoritatively. You should have a good critical eye and the ability to express yourself well. You should be able to edit your own posts and deliver them ready to publish. Most importantly? As a good app reviewer, you should be able to do all this while keeping the writing fun and interesting, using the common voice of the site.

All review writers should be able to jump back and forth amongst apps and games, but extra points if you have a passion for non-gaming apps and a nose for finding the best ones across the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

Think you have the chops? Check out our requirements here:

You:
- have an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch and think it’s the best thing since sliced bread
- have a general knowledge of and interest in the iOS community
- can write at a higher than average level, like what you might see in a magazine or newspaper
- have some familiarity with WordPress or similar CMS platform
- have the time to write and post at least three to five reviews a week

What do you get? Writing for 148Apps gets you exposure. With millions of eyes reading your posts, that's a lot of exposure to be had. You also get some money, per post, at a competitive rate. That's not bad, right? We do ask that you only apply if you can keep up a regular posting frequency. While this isn’t a full time job, it’s not a once-in-a-while hobby either. Our best writers are the ones that can keep the same quality output coming week after week.

If you think this is something you might be interested it, take a quick read of our review style and send us three of your best clips. These are the best portfolio work of review writing you've done. The closer to an app review your clips are, the better chance we'll have of understanding your style. Don't have any written samples? Write one up! Pick your favorite app or two and write up a 300 - 500 word review, with proper spelling and grammar, and email it to helpwanted {at} 148apps {dot} com. We look forward to hearing from you, and we'll get back to you soon.

It's almost like Christmas and your birthday morning all wrapped up into one! But for this holiday you will be compelled to spends lots of money. Today Apple will make a bunch of announcements around the iPhone. It's pretty much a lock that we will see at least one new iPhone today, final iOS 5 details including some that have been unseen so far, iCloud, and probably a new Apple iOS app, perhaps iPhoto.

While the rumors have been all over the place, the crazy crazy rumor mill have pretty much all settled on the new iPhone to be announced today being an iPhone 4S. An updated version of the iPhone 4 with perhaps a faster processor, more memory, a bigger camera (8 MP), and perhaps a few more features. This isn't the iPhone 5 that we think Apple needs to make a statement, but such is Apple. They take their own paths -- and let's be honest, it usually works out for them.

It's almost assured that we will see some new features in iOS 5 that haven't been seen in the betas. And hopefully more details around iCloud and how it will work.

One area where iCloud is really lacking is photos. We're expecting Apple to announce some new features around that and perhaps even an iPhoto for iOS. With each of the recent hardware releases Apple have released an iOS version of one of their core apps (iMovie, Garage Band, iWork, etc.) -- it follow that they will continue this and I'm hoping we see something photo related today.

And maybe, just maybe, we'll see the death of Ping today.

Tim Cook will be presenting the new information today, his first big presentation gig as new Apple CEO. Break a leg, Tim!

We'll be reporting all of the big announcements as they happen on our Twitter and Facebook streams. Check there for the very latest info. And we'll be posting an analysis of the announcements later in the day.

Got a minute? What? No? How about a minute of your time for a chance to win an iPad 2?

Yeah, sounds better? We're doing a quick non-evil survey. The goal is to allow potential advertisers know who they are advertising to. Lets face it, no one really likes advertising, but that advertising you see on the site allows us to bring you nearly 20,000 quality words worth of iOS related content every week. The top notch writers here do a heck of a job, and we enjoy being able to pay the writers for the great content they contribute to the site. (BTW, we're looking for more writers, in case you missed it.)

So this painless little survey will only take a few minutes and help us greatly. Your responses are greatly appreciated and might be handsomely rewarded with a killer iPad 2.

App discoverability continues to be a real issue. With the fast churn of apps in the App Store, an app has only a few weeks of promotional life in it before it's largely forgotten. There are a few things developers can do to fix that, but those things may not work for most apps. That's why we think it's important to archive these great, best apps from even just a few months ago. They may have been forgotten by most, but we want a way to remember them forever.

We're proud to announce the launch of a new site, dedicated to archiving the very best in mobile apps, the App Hall of Fame! We hope it will become the source for finding the very best of the best apps, long after their initial promotional buzz has died down.

With a voting process loosely modeled after the Baseball Hall of Fame, the App Hall of Fame will induct 12 new apps every month. The eligible apps are those that have been in the App Store for at least 6 months. Initially we'll be focusing on iPhone/iPod Touch apps, but we'll open it up to iPad apps soon. Next year? We expand further to cover other platforms.

The hall of fame-worthy apps will be chosen by the people that look at, write about, and live apps every day. Our fantastic selection committee includes members from Slide to Play, TUAW, TIPB, The Loop, Pirillo.com, AppAdvice, and more. The selection committee have already chosen the nominees for our first month and they are now voting on those nominations. We will proudly announce our first 12 inductees on Monday, October 11th.

The mobile application analytics company,Flurry, has graciously sponsored the site and will be giving $1,000 in promotional credit to each inducted app while they remain a sponsor. A very generous prize for the inductees, indeed.

But wait, there's more! We're having a monthly contest, too! We're also going to be celebrating the new inductees every month by giving away copies of the winning apps to App Hall of Fame mailing list subscribers.

Take a look at the site, sign-up for the contest and mailing list and check back on October 12th for the first inductees into the new App Hall of Fame!

Today we have more exciting news to announce. We've launched a new site covering Android games and apps - Android Rundown!

You may be asking why Android and why now? While personally I think the iOS is still by far the best mobile operating system, there are a considerable number of people that can't, for one reason or another, use an iPhone. Could be the choice of carriers, rules their employers have put in place, etc. Android is the second best mobile app platform and is growing quickly. There are now nearly 100,000 Android apps -- and we want to cover them. We want to bring our well-proven formula of editorial reviews, top app lists, price drops, etc. to the Android world. We're pretty sure you want us to do that, too.

Another big reason to launch now is that the Android app market seems to be on the very edge of a large expansion. One of the big reasons is that until recently Android phones were not good app phones. Most Android devices were only given 512MB of storage space (or less) for apps. That has finally changed. The Android OS was recently modified to allow phones to store apps on a storage card and most phones released these days have 16 GB of on board storage. This eliminates a huge roadblock to app adoption for users of most Android phones.

In addition, we're seeing more and more iPhone developers release their apps on Android as well. We've seen the big guys like EA, Gameloft, and Namco already -- we can expect others soon. And we can't forget the indies -- they are releasing on Android in ever increasing numbers as well.

What does this mean for 148Apps? Really, not too much. We're just trying out what we've built here at 148Apps in the Android world. You won't see any changes here at 148Apps. You might see the occasional cross post when there's a subject that applies to both platforms, but that's not much different than now.

If you're curious about the Android world, take a look and let us know what you think. Cheers!

Today I'm very happy to make an announcement about the future of 148Apps. Rob LeFebvre and the staff of The Portable Gamer (TPG) have joined forces with us at 148Apps!

The Portable Gamer site will join the 148Apps network of mobile blogs and help us build out our mobile gaming coverage on 148Apps. Together we will be able to continue to focus on apps as well as games on 148Apps and focus even more closely on games at TPG.

In addition, effectively immediately, Rob will become Editor of 148Apps and help us continue to build the best iOS blog possible. He'll also help us build out our network of blogs to cover new topics and existing areas even better than before. Rob founded TPG and Games Are Evil and has built them into well read online gaming magazines. His experience will greatly help take 148Apps to new places.

For the immediate future, TPG will continue to operate as normal with the addition of cross-posting some content to 148Apps. By the end of the year, we hope to relaunch The Portable Gamer as an even bigger and better mobile gaming site. Keep watching, we'll have more to announce on that in the coming weeks.

Here we are on the verge of the next iPhone release, we now have the amazing iPad, and possibly soon, an app running Apple TV. The growth in the iPhone App world is phenomenal and we at 148Apps plan on growing with it. But to do that, we need a few additional dedicated, awesome writers. And not just someone that can string a few words together, but people that are passionate about the iPhone OS, and its apps.

To help us make the next step and grow our site you need to be dedicated, engaged, and deeply app focused. You should know the iPhone and the app world better than you know the back of your own hands. We are looking for app reviewers, both for iPhone and iPad, and news writers.

The ideal app reviewer should be able to devour apps and games and be able to write about them quickly and authoritatively. You should have a good critical eye and the ability to express yourself well. You should be able to self edit your posts and deliver them ready to publish. And most importantly you should be able to do this while keeping your review fun and interesting like the common voice of the site.

We are looking for reviewers for all types of apps and games, but particularly interested in writers that can specialize in the education, photography, and music genres when needed. But all review writers should be able to jump back and forth amongst apps and games.

In addition to review writers, we are also looking to add one or two news reporters. The ideal news reporter would be someone who knows when an app is going to be released before anyone else does. Someone who knows the industry and the people in the industry. Wakes up in the middle of the night to see what new apps have gone live. And is comfortable talking to developers, marketing people, and even press agencies. You must be able to respond to and write about events and industry changes quickly. And most importantly you should be able to filter through information for what is a good story and what is just PR fluff.

If you think either of these descriptions fit your skills, please keep reading. In exchange for your amazing writing skills, we will provide a well read (well over 600,000 readers / month) outlet for your talents. You'll also have access to more apps than you'd ever be able to use, and of course there's the money. We do ask that you only apply if you can keep up a regular posting frequency. While this isn't a full time job, it's not a once-in-a-while hobby either.

If you think you have the writing skills, the drive, and the interest to help take 148Apps to the next level, send us the following:

Your name
Where you live (city, state, country)
What iPhone OS devices you use
Why you want to write for us
What position you are interested in
3 writing sample that fit that position
Past writing experiences you have had

Email all that to helpwanted {at} 148apps {dot} com and we will be in touch.

It's that time again -- it's conference season. We're gearing up for all the madness, the meetings, the travel, the bad conference food. But along with the bad, comes the good. We'll get to meet and talk to a bunch of really wonderful app developers. I'm sure we'll have a whole lot to talk about with OS 4 and most likely a new iPhone, but we want to see what you are working on!

Have a great iPhone or iPad app or game you are working on? Something no one else has ever done? Something you want to tell the world about? If you are going to be at WWDC in San Francisco or E3 in LA, we want to meet with you and take a look.

I'll be at both conferences next month and would love to meet up and take a quick look at your new or upcoming apps and games. If you'd like to meet up during one of them, let me know. You can reach me at jeff dot scott at 148apps dot com.

I look forward to re-connecting with developers I've met in the past and meeting a whole bunch of new ones!